New Taste Lancashire Producer Awards launched to 'champion food and drink heroes'

Marketing Lancashire, organisers of the only county-wide tourism and hospitality awards, have launched the new Taste Lancashire Producer Awards in partnership with Booths - Lancashire’s family-owned grocers who have been selling top quality produce since 1847.

The awards will run alongside the Lancashire Tourism Awards, with winners announced at the joint awards ceremony in February 2025.

These awards aim to “support and champion those food and drink heroes that make Lancashire a food destination like no other”.

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Lancashire County Councillor Aidy Riggott, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Growth, said: “Lancashire’s reputation for quality and excellence in food and drink helps attract millions of visitors to Lancashire hospitality venues, and contributes over £1 billion in visitor spend to the local economy.

“The new Taste Lancashire Producer Awards, delivered by Marketing Lancashire in Partnership with Booths, reinforce the significance of this important sector to Lancashire’s continuing economic growth and to Lancashire’s increasing popularity as a destination for food tourism.”

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The Taste Lancashire Producer Awards 2024 will honour the producers and the produce they raise, nurture and prepare in four categories:

• Drinks - artisanal producers and manufacturers of all hot and cold beverages
• Pantry - including preserved, ambient, frozen and ready to eat
• Bakery - pies and pastries savoury or sweet
• Fish, field and dairy - all kinds of meat, fish, vegetable, herbs, fruits and dairy products

Applicants will be required to tell their business story through initial application form, followed by an interview and tasting to be held at Booths Central Office, near Preston; giving shortlisted producers the valuable opportunity to meet Booths buyers, who together with an expert judging panel will select the winners.

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John Gill, Booths Head of Trading and Marketing said: “Booths has a long and successful tradition of sourcing the finest produce from Lancashire and beyond, to provide our valuable customers with the very best available food and drink.

“There is such a wealth of talented food and drink producers in Lancashire, from cherished family businesses, rooted in this special place to new and innovative startups in the industry.

“Working with Marketing Lancashire on these new awards, we aim to bring these producers and products to wider attention, to give established and brand-new businesses the chance to step into the food spotlight and to play their role in the sustainability of Lancashire’s vibrant food and drink sector.”

Applications for the Taste Lancashire Awards 2024 are now open and can be found at www.tastelancashireproducerawards.com, along with criteria for entrants.

The deadline for applications is October 27, with the shortlist due to be announced in November.

Those shortlisted will then be invited for an interview and tasting session in January 2025, with the winners announced as part of the Lancashire Tourism Awards ceremony on February 11, 2025.

The Taste Lancashire Producer Awards are sponsored by Blackpool and The Fylde College.

If you would like to support or sponsor these awards then please contact Maria Moriarty-Eames at [email protected]